Potato screen and separator



(No Model.) I. W. HOOVER,

POTATO SGREEN AN D SEPARATOR.

Q Patented-July '2, 1889i WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

ISAAC WV. HOOVER, OF AVERY, OHIO.

POTATO SCREEN AND SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,096, dated July 2, 1889.

Appl i filed September 24, 1888. Serial No. 286,292. (No model.)

To (1% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. HOOVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Avery, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented a certain Improved Potato Screen and Separator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for separating and screening potatoes; and the improvement consists in the peculiar arrangement of the operative parts in relation to each other, the gearings being placed out of the way of the operator and material, to enable the operator both to feed and rotate the screen in'the manner as set forth and claimed, reference being had to the following specification and to the annexed drawings, making part thereof, for a full and complete description of the said invention.

Figure 1 is a side view elevation of themachine. Fig.2 is a plan view thereof; and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section in the lines a: m, Fig. l, as seen from the rear of the machine. f

In the drawings and specification like letters denote like parts.

The frame A may be of any suitable construction, for the purpose of supporting the machine lower at one end than the other, as seen in Fig. 1. Mounted upon the frameis a rotating sifter or screen B, which is inclined from the front to the rear a, and consists of hoops G C C and spiders D D, having two arms terminating at one end in a hub E and the extreme ends in a hoop F. The periphery of the sifter is made of longitudinal strips or slats G, which are bolted or otherwise fastened to the hoops or rings 0 D. The end of the sifter is open, to admit of receiving the potatoes, &c., at the front end from the hopper H, Figs. 1 and 2, and a free discharge at the other. The hopper is so arranged in relation to the sifter that the tubers pass directly therefrom into the sifter with such dirt as may be with them. A shaft I, Figs. 2 and 3, is

keyed to the hubs E of the spiders, to which the sifter is attached. By this means the sifter is supported in an inclined position, as shown, and rotated, as the shaft I is j ournaled for this purpose in the bearings J J, which bearings are connected to the frame, as shown in the drawings. Upon the shaft Iis securedabev eled gear K,which meshes into the correspondin g beveled gear L, fastened to th e crank-shaft M, which shaft is supported in position by the bracket N, provided with a journal-bearing O for the shaft M. The said bracket is bolted to the cross-piece P of the frame; or otherwise secured in position. The shaft M is also provided with a, supporting journal-box Q, attached to the frame, as seen in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the gearing for rotating the sifter is within the interior thereof, as shown in Fig. 2,which is preferred, and is arranged above the hopper at the point of discharge therefrom into the sifter, so that the potatoes, 850., will not be brought in contact with the said gearing, and, being on the inside of the sifter, leaves the exterior free from the obstruction and contact with the gearing inworking the machine. Longitudinally under the sifter is attached to the frame a conveyer P, open on the underside, as seen in Fig. 3. The purpose of this conveyer is to receive all small potatoes, dirt, gravel, &c., and convey them through the opening to the ground separated from the larger potatoes discharged at the end a of the sifter.

Potatoes as they are gathered up are placed in the hopper H, which by its inclination are conveyed into the sifter. On rotation of the sifter by means of the crank on the shaft M the tubers are stirred up and moved about in the direction of the incline to the rear end a, where the larger potatoes are discharged. In the passage of the potatoes to the rear end the small ones, with the dirt, are sifted through the meshes or spaces between the strips G to the ground through the conveyer P. Thus the larger potatoes are separated from the small ones and from the dirt, discharged at a different place from the small ones, dirt, &c.

A slide or chute R, set on an incline, as indicated in Fig. 1, and attached to the frame, is for the purpose'of conveying and discharging the screenings from the revolving sifter at a point distant from the delivery of the larger potatoes.

The spiders D are provided with the least practicable number of arms, extending from the hubs E to the hoops F, for the purpose of avoiding any great obstruction to the passage IOG of the tubers through the sifter, although the whereby the gearing is placed out of the way 10 spiders and hoops C will tend to agitatc'and of the operator and material and the operator clean the potatoes. is enabled both to feed and to rotate the screen. What I claim as my invention, an d desire to In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 5 secure by Letters Patent, is presence of two witnesses.

The combination of the hopper, the screen ISAAC W. HOOVER. B, the shaft I, the oblique shaft N, having the WVitnesses: crank thereon at the side of the hopper, and B. F. EIBLER,

the bevel-gear K L, arranged within the screen, WM. H. FORD. 

